Frances’s door was open and she was standing in the doorway looking down at Pete.
“Is he dead?” she asked as Conrad went quickly to her.
“Yes, he’s dead. Go back to your room, please. There’s nothing you can do.”
There was an expression of stricken horror in her eyes that frightened Conrad. Every scrap of colour had left her face.
“How did it happen?”
“He fainted in his bath. The water was too hot.”
“Fainted in his bath?” she repeated slowly. “Are you trying to tell me it was an accident?”
“It was an accident all right. Now please go into your room.”
Madge came to the door and put her hand on Frances’s arm, but Frances stepped away from her. She continued to look at Conrad, her eyes glittering. ,
“That man murdered him! Pete said he would do it, and he’s done it! Pete knew he was going to die. He said one of you would sell him out! That’s how they got at him! He knew it was going to happen! He knew it!” She began to cry, tears running down her white face. “He said even you could sell him out!”